Many faces of betablockers

Jan F. Vojáček

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):61-63

Pulmonary embolism: prophylaxis, diagnosis, acute therapy

Martin Radvan, Martin Kameník

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):64-68 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.020

Pulmonary embolism is the third most common cardiovascular reason for death after myocardial infarction and stroke. The principles of thromboembolic disease prophylaxis are an integral part of care in both surgical and internal medicine. The severity of pulmonary embolism ranges across the spectrum, from completely asymptomatic forms to obstructive shock, where the first and only symptom is sudden death. The mainstay of treatment for low- and intermediate-risk patients is anticoagulation therapy. For high-risk patients, effective thrombolytic therapy is available, but it has a number of contraindications and, even if these are respected, carries a...

Echocardiography in pulmonary embolism

Marián Felšöci

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):69-74 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.018

Echocardiography is considered as important and frequent imaging method in the diagnostics of pulmonary embolism (PE). In fact, when compared to angiography or nuclear scanning, it does not detect a direct site of the occlusion of the pulmonary arteries but visualizes hemodynamical consequences of the obstruction on the right heart. Echocardiography has a key role in the management of patients with severe forms of PE and in some cases, its crucial for the decision making when reperfusion therapy is considered or when increased monitoring of the patients at intensive care unit is required. Also, it allows to detect other potential causes of the symptoms...

Strategy of anticoagulation therapy in outpatients with acute pulmonary embolism

Petra Vysočanová

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):75-80 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.019

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the most feared clinical presentation of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Outpatient physicians encounter patients with PE who have either been recently discharged from hospital or are treated for PE on an outpatient basis, i.e., completely without hospitalisation or are discharged within the first 24 to 48 hours. Outpatient treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE) is feasible according to expert recommendations and supported by data from clinical trials showing good safety and efficacy of this procedure. For the correct selection of patients with a low risk of complications of PE, not only their stratification to determine the...

Surgical treatment of acute pulmonary embolism

Miroslav Kolárik, Petr Fila, Petr Němec

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):81-84 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.024

Acute pulmonary embolism is still marked with a relatively high mortality burden. In the era of modern medicine, several approaches have been developed. Surgical treatment, in the light of current guidelines, is reserved for the highest-risk patients with hemodynamic instability. Surgical procedures and results along with the use of mechanical circulatory support results have been discussed in this text.

Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in the Karlovy Vary Region in 2023: An Utstein-Style Report

Viktorie Šimečková, Lýdie Klempová, Pavel Provazník, Václav Budín, Iveta Šejbová, Adam Gabriel, Michal Klapuch, Gustav Sosnovec, Jiří Smetana, Roman Sýkora, David Peřan

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):85-89 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.022

Introduction: The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) of the Karlovy Vary Region, serving over 295,000 residents, faces the critical challenge of managing out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA). Effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is essential for survival, requiring coordinated efforts from dispatch to first responders. This article analyses the quality of CPR in 2023 using the Utstein protocol, following an internal audit that introduced a feedback system to enhance outcomes. Methods: This study retrospectively examines the 2023 Cardiac Arrest Registry of the Karlovy Vary Region using the 2024 Utstein template. Data were analysed with...

Chirurgická léčba pseudoaneuryzmatu hrudní aorty: systematický přehled literatury

Sandra Rečičárová, Kateřina Lawrie, Michael Jonák, Ivan Netuka

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):90-95 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.012

Introduction: Thoracic aortic false aneurysm is a rare complication of cardiac surgery or procedures on the thoracic aorta. We present the results of a systematic review of the literature. Our aim was to determine the best treatment options and surgical techniques. Methods: We performed a literature search regarding thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm and its surgical treatment in English, limited by the dates 1st January 1979 to 31st December 2022. We searched the PubMed and EMBASE databases for the following medical terms: thoracic aortic false aneurysm, pseudoaneurysm, and surgical treatment.  Results: Our search screened 4,046 articles....

A beta blocker and ACE inhibitor combination in treating hypertension and its complications

Ondřej Petrák

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):96-102 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.013

Arterial hypertension is one of the controllable risk factors for atherosclerosis, and early medical intervention significantly reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The treatment should be tailored to the given patient according to the severity of hypertension and cardiovascular and metabolic risk profile. The trend in current therapy is to use fixed combinations to achieve blood pressure target values more rapidly with fewer side effects and to improve adherence to treatment. The combination of a beta blocker (bisoprolol) and an ACE inhibitor (perindopril) has complementary effects on the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone...

Using Impella CP mechanical heart support in a patient with TAVI Evolut

Štěpán Jirouš, David Horák, David Slezák, Jan Lhotský, Vít Buriánek, Štefan Volovár, Ivo Bernat, Richard Rokyta

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):103-107 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.014

We present the rare possibility of using the mechanical heart support Impella CP Smart Assist (Abiomed) introduced through the biological aortic replacement Evolut (Medtronic). Among the absolute contraindications for the introduction of Impella is the presence of a mechanical aortic valve prosthesis but not that of a bioprosthesis in the aortic position. However, the US FDA warns against the introduction of Impella through the Evolut bioprosthesis due to the risk of interactions between the in-flow and out-flow of the Impella and the edge of the stent, with the possibility of damage to the pump function. Nevertheless, the insertion of this support...

EuroVASC - European Vascular Club and its creation in 2024

Ivo Bernat

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):108-109 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.016

The article informs about the establishment of the EuroVASC and its planned activities.

Biomedical engineering in contemporary Czech cardiology

David Pospíšil, Monika Míková, Jan Řehoř, Kristýna Hochmanová, Veronika Bulková, Nela Hejtmánková

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):110-118 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.023

Biomedical engineering has become an integral part of modern cardiac care, opening up new possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. This interdisciplinary field combines technical and medical expertise to create innovative solutions that improve the quality of life for patients. Within cardiology, biomedical engineers are most commonly employed in fields such as electrophysiology, non-invasive cardiology, interventional cardiology, telemedicine and other specialised fields where, in addition to clinical work, they use their expertise to optimise technologies and medical devices. They are also involved in the development and improvement...

Randomized comparison of concomitant surgical treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation and hybrid approach -data from national multicentric SURHYB trial

Alan Bulava, Dan Wichterle, Aleš Mokráček, Pavel Osmančík, Petr Budera, Petr Kačer, Linda Vetešková, Petr Němec, Tomáš Skála, Petr Šantavý, Jan Chovančík, Piotr Branny, Vitalii Rizov, Miroslav Kolesár, Iva Šafaříková, Marian Rybář

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):127-135

Aims: To assess whether the timely pre-emptive radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation would achieve higher freedom from atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial tachycardia (AT) and be associated with better clinical outcomes than surgical ablation (CryoMaze) alone in patients with structural heart disease indicated for concomitant AF treatment. Methods: The trial investigated patients with non-paroxysmal AF undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valve repair/replacement with mandatory concomitant CryoMaze procedure who were randomly assigned to undergo either RF catheter ablation three months post CryoMaze (Hybrid Group) or no further treatment...

CASTLE-HTx

Štěpán Havránek

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):136-138 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.015

The CASTLE HTx trial showed a significant reduction in the primary composite endpoint in patients with advanced heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and atrial fibrillation who were treated with catheter ablation in addition to optimal medical treatment of heart failure. Catheter ablation was compared with optimal medical treatment alone. The primary endpoint was a composite of death from any cause, implantation of a left ventricular assist device, and urgent heart transplantation.

MUDr. Tomáš Janota, CSc., slaví šedesáté páté narozeniny

Michal Vrablík

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):139

Prim. MUDr. Ladislav Groch, Ph.D., sedmdesátiletý

MUDr. Ota Hlinomaz, CSc.

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):140-141

Prof. MUDr. Michael Aschermann, DrSc., FESC, FAAC, osmdesátiletý

doc. MUDr. František Holm, CSc.

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):142-143

The effect of nurse-led intervention on the quality of life of patients with stable coronary artery disease

Petra Bejvančická, Helena Rojíková Svobodová, Pavlína Tůmová, Sylva Bártlová, Iva Brabcová, Lenka Šedová

Interv Akut Kardiol. 2024;23(2-3):119-126 | DOI: 10.36290/kar.2024.021

Aim: To find and describe nurse-coordinated interventions and their effect on quality of life scores of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), including a description of the conceptual framework of the intervention and the most important aspects of the nursing care provided.  Methodology: A review study. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Google Scholar databases were studied. To determine the basic components, a clinical question was asked using the acronym PICO (Patient/Problem, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome). The population consisted of patients with stable CAD (P), the nurse-coordinated education/intervention...